Gadkari more of a businessman than a politician: Digvijaya

New Delhi: With activist Arvind Kejriwal targeting Nitin Gadkari, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh saw vindication of his stand that the BJP President was "more a businessman than a politician".

"I have been saying from the very beginning that Nitin Gadkari is more a businessman than a politician. What Kejriwal has said is nothing new", the Congress General Secretary, who is a known detractor of the BJP chief, told reporters.

In an apparent dig at the activist, Singh said he would write a letter to Kejriwal to tell him that his intentions were not clear in exposing BJP. Congress has generally maintained that Kejriwal and his team were "B team" of BJP.

Digvijaya Singh. PTI.

Gadkari has filed a criminal defamation case against Singh and a trial court yesterday reserved for November 2 its order on whether to summon the Congress leader.

Gadkari had recently filed the case against Singh saying the Congress leader had accused him of having business links with his party MP Ajay Sancheti who allegedly pocketed Rs 500 crore in coal block allocation.

Addressing a press conference here earlier in the day, Kejriwal alleged Gadkari was illegally favoured by Maharashtra goverment in allocation of farm land. Besides, he charged Gadkari with being in league with Maharashtra's ruling Cong-NCP to get undue personal favours and keep quiet as quid pro quo.

Digvijay Singh said what Kejriwal said today has been reported earlier. "It was already in public domain". "I am disappointed by the charges of Kejriwal. I have already said that they are the B-team of BJP," he said.

When pointed out that Maharashtra government led by Congress had also favoured Gadkari, he said while Ajit Pawar will respond to these allegations, the "prime beneficiary" is Gadkari.

"Robert is not a public figure, is not a politician. He was in business even before marrying Priyanka Gandhi. A private individual has the right to do legitimate business. Is it a crime to be the son-in-law of a politician?," he said adding if there are any illegalities in a business deal, there are agencies to take care of them.

Seeking to give the credit to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for ushering in greater transparency and accountability in governance he said it was because of her that the Right to Information was brought, without which such information would never have been available.